MR. COOK'S CABINET

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1786, 26 June 1913, Page 5

MR. COOK'S CABINET

PERSONNEL OF NEW FEDERAL MINISTRY. A STRONG GROUP. SURPRISE OVER PORTFOLIOS. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright Melbourne, June 25. The personnel of the new Liberal Cabinet is announced as follows:— MB. JOSEPH COOK, Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs. SIR JOHN FORREST, Treasurer. Mil. W. 11. IRVINE, K.C., AttorneyGeneral. SENATOR MILLEN, Minister for Defence. MR. P. M. GLYNN, Minister for External Affairs. MR, L. E. GROOM, Minister for Customs. MR. AGAR WYNNE, Postmaster-Gen-eral. SENATOR M'COLL, Vice-President of the Executive Council. MR, W. H. KELLY and SENATOR CLEMONS, honorary Ministers. Sydney, June 25. Both morning papeis consider Mr. Cook's team a strong, representative one, though they express some surprise at tho allotment of portfolios.

It is understood Mr. Cook had considerable difficulties to overcome in apportioning the portfolios. It is expected the new Parliament will assemblo about July 8. An early meeting will bo necessary, as Supply has been granted only to the end of June. MR. COOK'S MINISTERS, SKETCHES OF THEIR CAREERS. The Right Hon. Sir John Fotrest, P.C., G.C.M.G., LL.D., F.R.G.S., F.G.S., Knight of tlva Crown of Italy, was born at liunbury, Western Australia, in 1847. He entered tho Survey Department iil 1805, and achieved distinction for his intrepid work in command of expeditions into the interior of Australia, which won him the, thanks of Governor and Pa-rlio-iiient, tlii} gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society, and a Government grant of 5000 acres. He was Commissioner of Crown Lands and Surveyor-General of Western Australiiv with a seat in both the Executivo and Legislative Councils, and became the fifst Premier of his native State, under responsible Government. He was the author of much of the land legislation and development policy of Western Australia, and held the reins of Government for ten successive years, relinquishing the Premiership to join the Commonwealth Ministry. Ho helped to frame the Federal Constitution, and has sat in the llouso since 1901. Was Post-master-General and- afterwards Minister for Defence in the Barton Government, then Minister for Homo Affairs in the Deakin Ministry, and twice Treasurer of the Commonwealth, and some time ActingPrime Minister. "A Liberal of sturdy independence, ho has proved a strong and saffl administrator, and a staunch Imperialist." ... Tho Hon. William Hill Irvine, K.C., 8.A., LL.D. (Trinity College, Dublin), and M.A., LL.M. (Melbourne), was Premier of Victoria from June, 1902, to lebnrary, 1904. During his Premiership he was called on to guide his State during a great crisis, and displayed the highest qualities of statesmanship. Ho has sat for Flinders in the Federal House of Representatives since 1000. Mr. Irvine is one of the leaders of the Victorian Bar, to winch lie was called,in. 1884. Born in Ireland im 185?, ho is-'a. . nephew of John Mitchel, thet patriot. Some yeaTS ago.ho declined a Judgeship of the Victorian Supreme.Court. , r .•■■■, The Hon. Patrick. M'Malion Glynn, 8.A., LL.B. (Trinity College, Dublin), took a prominent part in the Australian Federal movement. He has been one ,of South Australia's ablest representatives in the Commonwealth Parliament since Federation. A brilliant and popular ■ Parliamentarian, of whom it has been said; "With all his great learning, he is ever a simple-minded citizen." He was Federal Attorney-General in tho DeakmCook Ministry. A' barrister with a big practice, lie has written extensively on political and literary subjects, has made a special study of constitutional law, and is a member of tho American Academy of Political fond Social Science. The Hon. Littleton- Ernest Groom, bar-rister-at-law, was a distinguished scholar of Ormoml' College and Melbourne University (M.A. and LL.M.) He has been member for Darling Downs (Queensland) in the Federal House.of Representatives 6ince 1901. For some, years he was secretary of the University Extension movement in Brisbane, and lecturer on constitutional law.. He is joint editor of the Real Property Acts of Queensland, and joint author (with Sir John Quick) of "The Judicial Power of the Common-' wealth," ' Mr. Groom was Minister for . Home Affairs and Attorney-General in the second Deakin Ministry (1905-B),' and Minister for External Affairs in the Deakin-Cook Cabinet (1903-10). The Hon. Agar Wynne, .member for Balaclava, Victoria, since 190G, first entered" politics in 1889, when he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council. i\a 'n leader of the Council and a member of the Patterson and Turner Ministries, he was responsible for the passage of much important legislation'. He is on the boards of a number of financial institutions, and has done much to develop - the pastoral and mining interests. The Hon. Edward Davis Millen. Senator for New South Wales since Federation, and formerly M.L.A. of New South i Wales for Bonrke, and some time a mem- ' bcr of the Legislative Council, was vicepresident of the Federal Executive. Council in the Deakin Ministry, and late Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. . The Hon. James M'Coll has been a i Senator for Victoria since 1910. For fifteen years previously he, served in the Victorian Parliament. 11l 1893-91 he was ' Minister for Mines and Water Supply for Victoria, and in 1899-1900 Minister lor 1 Lands. Mr. M'Coll has long been recog- ' nised as a leading authority on agricul- . tare- and mining. He is a well-known advocate of closer settlement, irrigation, ami dry farming. ' . Mr. Wm. Henry Kelly was born 111 Sydney in 1877, and educated at Eton College. He- was elected to the Federal House of-Representatives in 1903,. and • again in 1900. > • The Hon. .T. S. demons has been_ a ' Senator for Tasmania, since Federation. He is a barrister-at-law; was Tasmaniaii , Scholar ill 1880, and is a graduate of Oxford University. . ; Note.—The foregoing notes are selected ' from John's Annual (1913).